


Ka'ula'ula   (The Scarlet)

by Asa_Meda



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: First Time, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-28 18:40:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30143859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asa_Meda/pseuds/Asa_Meda
Summary: Danny's lonely. Goes to a bar. Bad stuff happens then good stuff happens. Again one of those things that came to mind when commuting back and forth to/from work. Rating will increase.Still working on the AU monster.Enjoy for what it is... and this is just first chapter. There's more. It is complete and I will post as I edit. Thank you!
Relationships: Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Comments: 21
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

It went from a tense, really shitty day to an almost okay night. He watched a brief show, listened to good music and got free beer from interested parties he didn’t have to hide from. Almost a year on this god forsaken island and he finally had to do… something. Though not as much as he wanted.

“Leaving so soon?”

A deep voice stopped him as he gathered himself and got off the bar stool. It was time to go. He had to be at 5-0 in… he checked his watch… nine hours… seven of those needed for sleep. He looked up at a very tall, very dark and very handsome man. Danny observed the man was about his own age, dressed casually with a lean, narrow but muscular frame. Danny was very tempted as the man checked off seven of the ten boxes he was currently looking for… but knew he couldn’t even begin to have. 

“I’m Dante,” the man introduced, holding out a hand. Friendly smile. Danny felt the eighth box click off. 

“I’m Danny.” Danny shook his hand. “I can’t,” he said with sincere disappointment. “I gotta get some sleep and be in by eight in the morning. Sorry.”

“No worries,” Dante said with an even brighter smile. “Come back. I’m here most nights. Especially Friday and Saturday.” He jerked his head back. “I do all the sound work here, occasional bouncer and bartender.”

Wow. Danny smiled back. “It’s a pleasure, Dante. When I come back I’ll ask for you.”

“You better.” Dante took out his wallet. “Here. My card. Where you see the cell number… that’s my work line. But if you change the five to a seven at the end… that’s my private line. Okay?”

Danny felt the brief static of a blush in his cheeks. This guy was getting close to ticking off the ninth box. “I will,” he said as he put the card away. He took out his own then hesitated. “I need to be careful, Dante. And,” he sighed. He would like this guy as a friend. “I’m a cop but I’m working for something I can’t get into details about.” He put his card back then saw a napkin on the bar. He took out a pen. “Look. Here’s my private line. We’ll connect.”

Dante's eyebrows were on the top of his head as he took the napkin. “You an interesting man with interesting secrets, Danny. Look forward to seeing you.”

“Like-wise.” With that he turned and headed out, feeling the brief change of atmosphere as he moved from loud music and crowds of festive people to the street outside. It was barely eleven at night on a Wednesday. It was mostly empty save a few people strolling around. As he reached the corner he took out his cell to call a cab or an Uber. He expected to get home in half an hour…

“Grab him!”

Caught off guard, Danny had time to see two guys as they grabbed him, punched him in the face and dragged him towards the open side door of a van. Training kicked in and he struck out, taking one guy to the ground right away. The other managed to avoid his punch and suddenly something very hard struck his head… he felt the cold cement ground scrape his face as he fell. He tried to get up but his whole body refused to work. _Shit… what the fuck…_

“Hey!”

Deep, familiar voice followed by others, came closer. 

“Fuck it, Greg! Just go!”

“What about Harly!”

“Leave him! There’s no time! Fuck!”

Danny vaguely heard engines gun. Then the sound of feet and a hand on his back.

“Danny! It’s Dante! Just lie still! We called 911.”

911… Danny groaned, forced his body to move. His head was swimming and hurting. Everything was numb and painful at the same time. “5-0,” he said, hoping to be heard. “5-0.”

“Okay, Danny. Heard you. I’m sure the police will call them.” Something warm covered him. Danny shook. He didn’t know he was cold but the warmth was welcomed. 

“Shitty night,” he croaked as he heard the distant noise of sirens. 

There was deep laughter. “I hear you, brah,” Dante agreed. “You just stay still. You knocked out one of the assholes.. a couple of us are watching him.” A pat on his shoulder. “It’s going to be all right.”

Danny forced his head to nod. His brain protested the movement. Sirens were closer, nearly deafening, then stopped suddenly. Then nothing…


	2. Chapter 2

“He must have been born with a titanium steel skull,” the hospitalist remarked as he met with Steve McGarrett and Chin Ho Kelly in the hallway outside of an Emergency Room cubicle. A few months ago, Danny had changed his Power of Attorney to Steve’s name. It was protocol in case of injuries while on duty. “He’s got a laceration about four inches from the crown of his head down. Lots of blood but normal for a head wound. We cleaned it up and stapled it. Should heal up just fine. There’s no fractures and no bleeding. But he does have a moderate concussion.”

“He’s going to be all right?” Steve asked as his eyes moved to the privacy curtain that served as a barrier between one Emergency Department cubicle and another. The beds were mostly empty, but he could see a woman sitting at the end of hallway, holding a bag, watching whoever was on the bed behind that curtain. Her expression was sad. 

“We’re getting a room in in our Medical unit as I don’t expect any surprises but he needs to be watched for the next few days.” The doctor moved a stylus over his tablet. “I’m going to schedule another MRI in the early afternoon tomorrow to be sure everything’s intact.” 

“How long before he gets a room?” Chin asked.

The doctor looked up at a monitor that kept a string of information on all ED patients. “I see they’re holding one now.” He smiled at them both. “I think he’s going to be fine, Commander… Lieutenant. You’ll have to talk to the unit doctor, but I think, if there’s nothing on the scan tomorrow, he can go home in a few days.” A sudden alarm shrieked followed by a female mechanical voice. 

“Code Blue.. ED Room 12… Code Blue… ED Room 12..”

The doctor took off like a shot. Steve watched as equipment was rolled down the hall, as the woman who was sitting was now standing, crying. She was firmly but gently pushed aside by a nurse as more staff arrived and another curtain was drawn, separating the woman from the patient. There was the unmistakable sound of ‘clear’ and a thump then another… then another. Then a nurse walked out from the cubicle and paused to pat the still crying woman on the shoulder then guide her back to the chair she had been sitting on and talked to her. The woman nodded but there was a small smile. Whoever it was still lived. 

“Danny’s going to be out for awhile,” Chin said, breaking Steve’s focus. 

Steve nodded and walked around the edge of the curtain into Danny's cubicle. His partner lay unconscious on a hospital bed, in a hospital gown, covered by a thin cotton blanket. An IV was stuck out of his left arm. Wires hung out of the top of his hospital gown, connected to a monitor on his right, showing stable readings. Oxygen tubing hung above him, but Danny didn’t need that. His head was wrapped but only around the crown of his head and around the base of his skull. “Where’s the guy Danny knocked out?”

“Prison ward. He was never really unconscious, but the doctors want to watch him.”

Steve nodded. “Someone was asking about him?”

Chin nodded. “Dante Simmons. He does the sound for The Scarlet, sometimes he does bouncer duties. He told HPD that someone told him someone was being attacked. He and the bouncer on duty went out. But some guy got into a van and took off.” Chin paused. “Kono said there’s been a string of attacks in the area, men taken, beaten and robbed. One died from head trauma. Another suffered long term brain damage.”

Steve nodded then his eyebrows crinkled a bit. “The Scarlet? He was there?”

Chin nodded. “There’s stamp on his hand.” He studied Steve. “You got one of your questions answered.”

Steve frowned. “Doesn’t mean anything, Chin. People of all kinds go there. It’s a great place to hang.”

Chin looked at him. “Mr. Simmons has been in the waiting room outside. He’s very concerned.”

Steve stared at Danny’s pale, battered face. The angry red scrape on his right cheek. He was told Danny could be out for hours more. Nothing he can do for him right now. “Okay.”

He and Chin walked out into the main waiting area. Though it wasn’t Kings Hospital’s Emergency Department’s busiest night, it was crowded. But Steve spotted a tall black man standing a little apart from everyone, his head down, waiting. Chin nodded and pointed. For a moment, as he approached, he wondered if he had waited too long… if Danny…

“Mr. Simmons?” Steve held out a hand. “I’m Commander McGarrett with 5-0. First, I want to thank you for being there for him.”

Simmons returned the hand shake, his dark eyes showing concern. “Is he going to be all right?”

“He’s going to be fine,” Steve said as he studied the man. He was very handsome, tall, narrow but Steve could see the muscles under the t-shirt he wore. “Have you known Danny long?” Might as well get it all out. If Danny liked this guy, then Steve would like to be a friend. 

Simmons cocked his head. “Just before—He’d been at the bar for about an hour or so. I was on break so I—” He hesitated, his eyes gaining a glint. “You’re not going to make his life difficult? He just had a few beers… or rather he was bought a few beers.”

Steve ignored Chin’s brief smile. “It’s fine… can I call you Dante?”

Dante eyed him. “Sure.” He glanced at Chin.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Chin spoke. “I’m Chin. I work for 5-0 with Danny and Steve.”

“Pleasure.” He kept an eye on Steve. “I’ve seen you before…”

“I’ve been there before,” Steve confirmed without hesitation. “You guys have great music.”

Dante smiled and pointed at him in realization. “I’ve seen you! You’re a great dancer!” He paused. “Danny’s one of you?”

“Yeah.” Steve sighed. “He’s my partner.” He realized this man was just a good Samaritan who had the good taste to like Danny. “Thank you for helping out.”

“Sure,” Dante met his gaze. “When you say partner… um… did you mean…”

“Oh—” Steve raised a hand. “No… I mean… no.”

“It’s complicated,” Chin said with a smile on his face as he patted Steve on the shoulder. “What did you see, Dante? About the van?”

“It was a dark green, looked like some logo might have been spray painted over. We haven’t had any trouble. Not with gay bashers. They didn’t seem to care about that. Danny is a haole who might have looked out of place.. with that tie.”

Steve nodded. “He’s from New Jersey. We’re trying to break him of the habit.” He smiled and held out a hand. “Mahalo, brah.”

Dante smiled as he shook hands with him then Chin. “He looked like he had a good time,” he said. “But he looked very lonely. You might want to work on that with your… partner. When you do, come back… no cover… food and drinks on me. Okay?” His expression turned serious. “Let me know how he is. Here’s my card. Just change the five to a seven at the end to get me privately.”

“We will,” Chin assured when Steve took the card, his eyes unfocused. Dante gave Steve one last look then walked away.

“We need to see that guy Danny took down and ask some question.” He took out his cell and called. “Kono. Yeah, he’s going to be okay but they’re going to keep him a few days.” He paused with Chin at the elevator doors. “Need you pull all the evidence HPD has on those attacks. And specifically find out all you can on Harly—”

“Beewitch,” Chin supplied as the elevator doors opened and a small crowd filed out.

“Thanks, Kono. Send us something when you can. Yeah. I will” Steve and Chin stepped into the elevator car. “Kono wants me to give him a hug,” he said as he put his cell away.

Chin seemed to think a moment then, “You need to do it first,” he told him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I angst over doing this. This story did deserve a revenge chapter before moving on. I tried to keep it short and neat. 
> 
> Thoughts welcome. Next chapter... Danny wakes up... :-)

“This is Harland Wilson Beewitch,” Chin announced as he and Steve walked into the prisoner’s hospital room. “His friends call him Harly.”

Steve nodded then met the gaze of the guard stationed inside the door. With a nod the guard left the room and the door closed.

“He is twenty years old with a history of assault and robbery,” Chin continued as he moved to the other side of Harly’s bed, opposite McGarrett. The prisoner himself sat watching, his eyes showing a kind of wariness mixed with defiance. “When he was sixteen a judge thought to give him a second chance. When he was nineteen he was released from juvenile, his record expunged.”

“Shame he wasted it,” Steve remarked casually as he stood by the bed. “Harly? I can call you Harly, can’t I?”

The young man glared up at him. His left hand was handcuffed to the railing. His face sported a goatee type beard, poorly kept. He was thin. His eyes and teeth showed long drug use. His neck had the beginnings of gang tattoos. “I don’t have to talk to you!” he declared.

“Sure you do,” Steve told him. “My name is Commander McGarrett. I am the head of the 5-0 Task Force in this state.”

“So?” Harly shrugged. “I’m suppose to be impressed?” He glanced at Chin. “I’m walking down the street, minding my own business and this muther-fucker started doing kung fu on me. I want him arrested!”

“That muther-fucker is my second in command on the task force,” Steve said evenly. He had promised not to do damage to the prisoner. But it didn’t mean he couldn’t scare the shit out of him. “Who and where are the rest of your crew, Harly?”

“I want a lawyer!” Harly yelled, a little agitated. “You can’t talk to me!”

Steve smiled. “Of course I can,” he said as he calmly sat at the foot of the bed. “Chin, we have the proper releases, yes?”

“Of course,” Chin responded seriously, going along with the game. Then he gazed at the prisoner. “I really would answer his questions, brah. We’re not quite the same as HPD.”

“Who are the rest of your crew? Where can we find them?” Steve asked again as his fingers began to whisper over the blanket covering Harly’s leg. “We got the image of your van from street cameras along with the face of one of your friends. We’re tracking it down. But you and your crew are in a lot of trouble. You’ve attached six people, killed one… left another with permanent damage.”

Harly eyed them both then shrugged. “We needed money.”

“You needed to beat them?”

Harly smiled. “Well, if they can't stand up for themselves…”

Suddenly Steve’s hands moved, turning the foot and ankle a certain way that made Harly cry out. 

“Holy shit! You can’t do that!” Harly screamed when Steve let him go. He pulled the blanket up to look at his leg. “What the fuck did you do! Feels broken.”

“It’s not,” Steve assured. “I can do that the next time, though.”

“Fuck you!” Harly pulled up both his legs away from Steve and pulled on his handcuffed wrist. “You can’t do that! Guard!”

Silence.

“They might have gone on their coffee break,” Chin suggested calmly. “Harly, I’m here to keep the Commander under control. You attacked his very good friend. Steve here is part of the Marines with special training. I really would answer his questions.”

Some fear appeared on Harly’s face. “Very good friend, huh?” he started with false bravado. “You queer like him?” he spat ou.

A glint appeared in Steve’s eyes. “Yes,” he said without hesitation as he got up and moved to the head of the bed. He leered at the young man and his fingers touched the top of Harly’s head. “Have you been targeting gay men because at least four of your victims weren’t gay.”

“Don’t touch me!” Harly grabbed Steve’s wrist with his free hand. “Fag!”

Steve easily pulled from his grip. “You don’t like to be touched?” He reached up his hand again but did not touch. “You’re going to have to toughen up a bit. Adult prison is nothing like you had in juvenile detention.

“Fuck!” He twisted away from Steve towards the other side of the bed and scrambled to his feet, slightly unbalanced by handcuff on his wrist. He held on to the railing as he faced Chin. “Do something! You can’t let him touch me!”

Chin smirked, looking Harly up and down. “A hospital gown does nothing for you, dude.”

Harly pulled at the handcuff then gave up. “We thought it would be fun to do some fag tourist this time!” He glanced behind him, visibly relieved to see Steve had not moved. He faced Chin once again. “If I tell you, you’ll keep him away from me?”

“Absolutely,” Chin told him pleasantly. “Steve, let him get back into bed. Give him some space.”

Steve made a show of hesitation then smiled and moved to the door, his arms crossed.

Chin helped Harly back into the bed. “Talk.”

And Harly did.


End file.
